One of the great pleasures of podcasting is being able to connect with like minded souls all over the world that I would probably never meet in daily life. And even with all of its problems, FaceBook has introduced me to people I can't wait to connect with.

Liezel Graham is an indie author, textile artist, and writing-for-wellbeing practitioner who considers beauty to be the antidote to many of life's difficulties. Her work is informed by motherhood, the resilience of the human spirit, beauty-in-the ordinary, and healing the inner child.

She lives in Scotland and loves nothing more than long walks, taking lots of photographs of moss, and a good cup of tea! Find out more at LiezelGraham.com.

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We are in an era marked by social, environmental and spiritual crises. As a psychotherapist I am seeing more and more people feeling lost and in existential despair. Many of you know that addiction rates and suicide are at record highs. What can we do to respond to these immense challenges with some grace and resilience?

Renowned meditation teacher and author Oren Jay Sofer has created mindfulness programs for organizations, companies, and apps including Apple, Lumosity, Calm, 10% Happier, and Simple Habit to name a few. His new book, "Your Heart Was Made for This", gives us a practical roadmap to face and transform our greatest personal and global challenges. Find out more at OrenJaySofer.com.

Find out more about the Zestful Aging Podcast at ZestfulAging.com

Imagine being successful in all of the ways society defines success: the house with the ocean view, two successful sons, a kind and loving husband and a satisfying career. Yet something wasn't quite right. There was a longing that wouldn't go away. Right in the midst of middle age, Suzette Mullen admitted to herself that she was in love with her best friend of almost twenty years, a woman. Author and book coach, Mullen tells us the story of how she sacrificed everything to be true to herself in her award winning memoir, "The Only Way Through Is Out". Find out more at Yourstoryfinder.com.

Find out more about the Zestful Aging Podcast at ZestfulAging.com

If you've followed me, you know I am no fan of dieting and restriction, because we all know where that leads– in a shame cycle that erodes our relationship with ourselves. Caroline Drury is a transformational coach who focuses on, as she likes to call it, "the age of wisdom", meaning that her midlife clients have an abundance of life experience and wisdom that they haven't yet tapped into which can help them on their transformation journey.

These extraordinary women are at the age where they now know better and are looking for help to do better and BE better in lasting and sustainable ways; no more fad diets and no more restriction.

Her areas of coaching focus are strength training, macro-based nutrition, and lifestyle & mindset work to help women rediscover themselves after too many fad diets and "weight loss challenges".

To do this, Caroline provides sound strength training, nutrition, and lifestyle practices that focus on building healthy fitness and nutrition habits over time, and developing a loving self-disciplined but self-compassionate relationship with oneself....sometimes for the first time. Check out her website: https://carolinedrury.fit/

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For anyone who has ever feared water or wished they'd learn to swim, this episode is for you. I met our Susana Mueller at a podcasting conference I recently attended. She introduced herself and said she thought she knew me. A chemist originally from Cuba, now a resident of Florida, I don't think our paths ever crossed. But we talked about her podcast, On the Green Plantain, and I heard her captivating story of overcoming her fear of swimming as an older adult. This was no traditional learn to swim program. Learn how Susana overcame intergenerational trauma and became a swimming instructor. It is a touching and inspiring story.

Listen to her podcast here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/cuban-stories-on-the-green-plantain/id1525139062

Find out more about the Zestful Aging Podcast at ZestfulAging.com

Enjoy this rebroadcast of my interview with Alua Arthur, death doula and now New York Times Best Selling Author of Briefly Perfectly Human. This book on the importance of thinking about our death has resonated with many of us, including top influencers from media outlets including The New York Times, NPR and CNN.

Alua Arthur is the Founder of Going with Grace, an end of life organization, which supports people as they answer the question "What must I do to be at peace with myself so I may live presently and die peacefully?"

As a death doula and attorney, the perspective Alua has gained from her unique career allows her to help her clients focus on the practical and emotional needs while contemplating the end of life. Find out more at Goingwithgrace.com.

Find out more about the Zestful Aging Podcast at ZestfulAging.com.

Maddy Dychtwald is recognized by Forbes as one of the Top 50 female futurists globally, for nearly 40 years. She has been deeply involved in exploring all aspects of the age wave and how it's fundamentally transforming our lives and the world at large. She is an internationally acclaimed author, public speaker, Wall Street Journal blogger, and thought leader on longevity, aging, the new retirement, and the ascent of women Her new book combines her professional and personal passions: Ageless Aging: Women's Longevity Bonus and the Art & Science of Living Longer. Find out more at https://maddydychtwald.com/ .

Find out more about the Zestful Aging Podcast at ZestfulAging.com.

Anyone out there believe in synchronicity? Many of you know that I am walking part of the Camino de Santiago in May. I've been thinking, planning and talking about it alot. One night I was scrolling and I fell upon a group called Women of a Certain Age–WOACA. I was intrigued. Then I was surprised– more than 10k members. Comments stating how special this group is. They debated on the best walking shoes and if you really need a pee rag. I looked up a little bit about the FB group's administrator…wait! A social worker? Yup. Synchronicity.

Alysa Golden is a psychotherapist and coach who lives in Toronto. She is also the creator of Woaca the Camino, a community of almost 12,000 women who are over the age of 50 and either planning on or walking the Camino de Santiago in Spain. Last year Alysa edited the book "Hearing the Camino's Call" containing 58 stories written by women in the group about their experiences walking the Camino. FInd out more about WOACA here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/woacathecamino

Find out more about the Zestful Aging Podcast at ZestfulAging.com.

I was thinking about who would be a great guest for Earth Day. I wanted to talk with someone who is committed to nature, has a zestful attitude towards life and has shown resilience in her life despite dealing with painful losses. If she was an adventurous traveler that would be even better. Then I realized I knew just the woman!

Irene Mazzocchi is retired from the Department of Environmental Conservation in New York State and organizes annual bird counts in the Northern part of NY. Since her retirement, she continues to volunteer for environmental causes and even created a bird quiz on her private birding Facebook group. She's particularly partial to protecting the birds who make their home on the dunes on Lake Ontario. Irene also travels frequently with a pack of her women friends, and is known as a passionate and energetic force.

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Holly Greenberg is a professor of Art at Syracuse University specializing in printmaking. She's long been aware of how toxic some art materials are, but has recently realized how damaging the mining and production practices are that are used to create these art supplies.

Since that realization, she's committed herself to stop using manufactured art materials. More recently, Holly became aware of invasive plants and has become interested in habitat restoration. In the last year and a half, Holly has begun to create works of art that highlight the importance of creative native plant habitats for other living creatures. Find out more at HollyGreenberg.com.

Find out more about the Zestful Aging Podcast at ZestfulAging.com